Saturday, May 10, 2014

Embrace the Suck


No pain no gain.
Embrace the pain.
Embrace the suck.
Suck it up buttercup.

These are things I tell myself on a regular basis. I think every single athlete has points in their training when something similar to the above runs through your mind on a continuous loop. Yes, some days really do suck. Right now nearly every muscle I have is sore. I've been doing pretty well sticking to the training plan, but 8 workouts a week is just exhausting. Some days I want to forget it all and go on a long vacation. A long vacation with sleep, chocolate, and martinis.

Then I have a great run or bike or swim, and realize its all worth it.

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

From Solo to Group Training... OH MY!


A while ago when registering for one of my summer triathlons, I searched google for a promo code, hoping to save a little money as registrations get expensive. I found one from a site called Together We Tri. After using it, I decide to check out the website. While purusing the site, I saw they offered a Swim Clinic where they teach drills and use video taping to analyze the swimmer's stroke. I've been wanting to get a video swim study done, but the only one I knew about was $80. This Swim Clinic was only $50, and not too far from my house. So I signed up for it!

The Swim Clinic was amazing! The coach said 10 people had signed up, but 6 had canceled at the last moment, leaving us with a wonderfully small group of only four! Due to this we had so much individual attention, tweaking arm placements, hand position, etc. Afterwards we all went to a classroom to review our swimming videos, taken in and out of the water. I've taped myself before but never with an underwater camera. It was very cool!

The coach of the swim clinic also happened to be the director of Together We Tri, which is dedicated to training triathletes. They have three different groups, and it just so happened that the 12 week Women's Group was just about to start that Tuesday.

Tuesdays have been my neighborhood drinking day.... My neighbor friends and I would get together with 1-3 bottles of wine, let the kids play outside, and relax, visit, vent, and do all the things three ladies do when drinking wine on a Tuesday. ;)
However, one of them just moved a few weeks ago, and the other is moving this weekend. :( So when the prospect of having something new to do on a Tuesday night came up, I decided to go for it. Plus, exercising IS healthier than drinking a few bottles of wine.

I'm not a "group" person. I'm pretty introverted. I've trained for three triathlons on my own, and I avoid group fitness classes like the plague. So training with multiple coaches and 20 other ladies is WAY WAY WAY out of my comfort zone. We've had three sessions so far, and so far so good. Everyone I've met has been really nice, and I'm actually enjoying the camaraderie and the commiseration. I'm not the fastest, but I'm also not the slowest.

In addition to the two weekly group workouts, we have a schedule of workouts for the rest of the week. Its very similarly organized to what I was previously doing: 2 swims, 2 bikes, 2 runs, and 1 rest (plus my own 2 weight training sessions). The difference is the volume! I was on Week 7 of my current 12-week program for my June 8th triathlon. Both of my runs were 30 minutes long. On Week 1 of the new training plan we were doing 30-45 minutes, and on Week 2 we're up to 45-60 minutes of running!

Saturday will be my first Group Spin Class..... I'm going to miss watching movies on the stationary bike.... ;)